How to Host a Stress-free Dinner Party

To coincide with National Friendship Day, we thought when better to inspire you to host a stress-free dinner party for you and your friends. We've gathered a few inspirational tips to let you enjoy your time with your friends, whilst putting on a spectacular dinner party.

The Food

Plan recipes that can be done in advance. One-pot dishes are usually great for this, as they just need heating up at dinner time, and it saves washing up! Try a risotto, tagine, or a curry in winter months. It's always nice to be able to provide guests with something to nibble on before the main, but instead of a fussy starter, go with simple nibbles of crisps, nuts, or veg and dips. To finish off the meal, a dessert of some kind always goes down well. Also aim for a dish that you can prepare in advance. Cold desserts work well as you can just serve them up straight from the fridge. Try a cheesecake, fridge cake, or just a simple fruit salad. It helps if the dishes don't need any accompaniments, like ice cream or cream, so aim to create desserts that aren't too sweet.

The Vibe

When planning a dinner party, you might automatically envisage a fun-filled space with up-beat music and loud chatter. Aim for a more chilled-out vibe. decorate the table with candles and greenery from the garden, and create a chilled-out playlist to play quietly in the background. This will control the mood of the event and encourage people to act accordingly. You could always crank up the party music later for a post-dinner jig!

Organise

For the few days running up to the dinner, try to tidy and clean as you go, so as to not leave it all to the last minute, as this will avoid it becoming a stressful, overwhelming job. Then a few hours before the dinner, all you need to do is do a final tidy and maybe whip the hoover around.

Lastly, before everyone arrives, give yourself some time to relax. Have a bath, paint your nails, and read a magazine. This way you can greet your guests in a relaxed manner, which will then help set a relaxed mood for the rest of the evening. Have you got any tips and tricks for a stress-free dinner party? Tweet us at @baytreecleaning to share your thoughts!